


Who's That Girl?

by babydragon73



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Eventual Relationships, F/F, First Meetings, Flirting, Partying, Teen Romance, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-07-23 15:19:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7468764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babydragon73/pseuds/babydragon73
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shaw was about to ditch the lame frat party she was dragged to when a beautiful mysterious stranger makes her think twice about leaving so soon. Then begins a romance no one saw coming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hey There, Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Root and Shaw will always be happy and alive in my world! Please don't be afraid to leave your comments!

Grabbing the last can of beer out of the cooler before the meat head beside her could, Shaw elbowed her way through the living room filled with sweaty half naked college students trying to blow off the steam that came with midterms. Normally, you couldn’t pay Shaw enough money to participate in such a mind numbing event, but, her best friend and lacrosse teammate, Zoe Morgan, promised her a week full of free lunches if she accompanied her to the party. Apparently some guy named John who pledged this fraternity caught Zoe’s attention during practice and she went to the party solely on the basis of running into him “accidentally”. So, it wasn’t that much of a surprise when Zoe immediately left her side as soon as John asked her to have a drink with him.

Shaw made her way to the back deck, which was less crowded than inside the house. A few kids were lingering in a small group smoking what smelled like a combination of tobacco and marijuana. A part of her considered asking the kids for a few hits so she could get a nice double buzz going but the thought of having to exchange any type of small talk with anyone immediately squashed her previous idea. Instead, she leaned against the railing opposite the group and took a sip of her beer. 

‘I’ll stay for one more beer,’ she thought to herself, “I’ll make sure this John guy isn’t a serial killer then I’ll tell Zoe I’m taking off. I can’t be around anymore stupidity tonight’.

Shaw drained the rest of her beer in one gulp and wiped the left over foam off her lip with the tip of her tongue. As she made her way to go back inside for her last beer, a tall shadowy figure caught her eye. She turned her head back to the group to find a lanky girl with hazel green doe eyes staring shamelessly at her. Shaw glared at the girl, silently willing her to tear her eyes away from her and mind her own business but the girl was not put off by her aggression. In fact, Shaw’s obvious annoyance made the girl smirk at her.

Though she was standing with a group of four people engaging in a heated topic, the girl made no effort to make it look like she was paying attention. She scanned up and down Shaw’s body, taking in her black leather jacket, black tank top, dark jeans, and combat boots. She licked her lips as she trailed her eyes back up and caught Shaw’s eyes again. The girl raised her eyebrow at the shorter girl.

Shaw was fuming. Who was this girl and why did she think she had the right to observe her like some kind of exhibit in a zoo? ‘Well, two can play at this game’, Shaw decided, taking her time to check the girl out. She would a little black dress that hugged her curves tightly and stopped mid-thigh, exposing her long, creamy legs for Shaw’s viewing pleasure. She wore black flats so she didn’t add anymore inches to her already incredible height and her long wavy auburn brown hair looked soft to the touch, even from where Shaw was standing.

She shook her head to clear the thoughts of the girl’s hair and cursed herself for being thrown off by some random girl. She crushed her beer can in her fist before tossing it over the side of the side of the deck. Shaw tore her eyes away from the stranger and made her way back inside to find a beer and Zoe.

She grabbed another unopened beer from a kid who was passed on the couch. She found Zoe standing quietly with John in the corner of the living room. The two of them were whispering to each other and their lips looked bruised like they had spent an hour doing nothing but kissing. And, since it was Zoe, Shaw had no doubt that was what they had done.

Shaw made her way over to the couple and tapped Zoe on the shoulder, not caring if she was interrupting an intimate moment between them. “I’m going to head out in like five minutes, okay? I assume you already have arrangements to stay somewhere else?”

John at least had the decency to blush at Shaw’s blunt comment but Zoe just gave her a Cheshire grin in reply. “Oh, come on, Shaw. You know I don’t kiss and tell”.

The shorter girl rolled her eyes at the blatant lie but decided to let it slide so she could escape the party faster. “Whatever. Just text me whenever you get there so I know you’re alive.”

“Aww, you are such a good bestie. What I would do without you?” Zoe leaned down and kissed Shaw’s cheek. The brunette wiped it off with her sleeve but couldn’t help the tiny grin that formed at the corner of her lips at the show of affection. She waved at John before making her way back to the back deck.

When she got back to her spot, the group of smokers had disbanded in favor of keeping the party going inside. The only person left from the group was the girl who had been hardcore staring at Shaw earlier. She chose to continue ignoring the taller girl and drank her beer. She drank it a bit slower than she did earlier but that was because she wanted to enjoy it this time. Yeah, that’s why she was taking her time.

The girl standing opposite her also didn’t speak, instead, she continued to smoke the lit cigarette in her hand and stare in the woods that lined the back of the frat house. Out of the corner of her eye, Shaw couldn’t help but notice that the girl was making perfect smoke rings; every time her lips formed an ‘O’ Shaw became a little more turned on. Sexiness oozed out of this girl easily and, judging by the light smirk on her lips, she could tell she was having an effect on Shaw. 

After a few more minutes of silence, smoking, and drinking, Shaw broke. “What’s your deal?” She asked, bluntly, turning to face the stranger. 

The taller girl’s smirk grew wider as she stubbed out her cigarette on the bottom of her flats. She pulled another one out of the clutch pursue resting on the railing and lit it with a lighter stashed in her bra. As she exhaled the smoke, it curled around her lips in a way that made her look both dangerous and incredibly sexy. “Me?” She asked, coyly, “I don’t have a deal. I’m simply just enjoying this lovely party.”

“Lovely? Yeah right,” Shaw scoffed, “I guess it is if you consider puke covered floors lovely.”

The girl took another drag of her cigarette. “I like the whole college party vibe. I never experienced when I went so I figured I would get my fill now.”

“Oh, well……Wait, what do you mean ‘when you went?’” Shaw walked a little closer to the girl and studied her face. She couldn’t be older than Shaw; in fact, if she had to guess, Shaw would say that the girl was at least a year younger than herself. How was she already done with college when Shaw was only in her senior year of high school?

“Ah, that’s another story for another time,” the girl flashed her a smirk that Shaw felt too familiar with already. She exhaled a cloud of smoke while walking closer to the shorter girl, “How about you? What’s your deal?”

“I’m just trying to drink as much free beer as I can. Then, I’m out of here.”

That statement caused the confident smirk to drop from the girl’s face. Shaw felt a tinge of pride for causing this mysterious girl to lose her cool demeanor. “Pity,” the girl replied, sucking on her cigarette, causing the tip of it to glow orange in the dark of the night, “I was hoping you would stick around for a bit.”

Shaw furrowed her brows, “Why would you hope that?”

The taller girl closed the distance between the two of them and leaned closely to Shaw’s ear. “If you stick around, I promise it will be worth your while. I can show you things that will make your head spin.” Shaw looked up at her with her mouth gaping open. The girl in turn winked hotly at Shaw and flicked her cigarette off the deck.

Shaw followed the sway of her hips as she made her way inside of the house. Chucking her beer into the woods, she followed the stranger, mind racing with all the possibilities that could happen as the night went on.

She founded the mystery girl waiting for her on the second floor of the frat house. Shaw had no idea how the girl figured out which bedroom was free for their use and her head was swimming in too much beer to care to ask. Instead, she boldly stroke over to where the girl was leaning against the bedroom door, staring hotly at the shorter girl. The brunette licked her lips, slowly losing herself in the hazel eyes that bore into her dark brown ones.

"Now what?" She asked, softly. That seemed to break the girl out of her trance because she then lunged at Shaw, fusing their mouths together in a passionate kiss. Shaw held her own against the taller girl; she pushed her back into the door hard, causing the girl to moan into her mouth. Shaw opened her mouth to grant the girl's quick tongue access and felt her mind forgetting everything that didn't have to do with the beautiful girl in front of her. The girl turned the knob of the bedroom door and they stumbled into the dark room, mouths never leaving one another.

Shaw's hands started to wander down the girl's thighs, hiking up her already short dress. The taller girl broke their kiss to trail more kisses down Shaw's neck before clamping down on the column of her throat with a hard bite. Shaw let out a hard gasp at the girl's actions but secretly loved that she was going to have reminders of this interaction come morning. Shaw was about to trail her fingers towards the girl's most sensitive place when a sudden chorus of screaming exploded from downstairs. 

"IT'S THE COPS!" A guy yelled loudly over the pulsing music. "EVERYBODY SCATTER!"

Shaw could hear the party stampede in an attempt to find the nearest exit. "Shit," she quietly cursed to herself. She couldn't get caught at a party drinking; not only would her parents kill her but she would get suspended from lacrosse for the rest of the season. She could only pray that Zoe got out with John before the cops came. Shaw made a mental note to call her as soon as she got somewhere safe.

Looking up at the taller girl, taking in her flushed, heavy chest and kiss swollen lips, Shaw felt herself grow more and more disappointed that they couldn't continue. "Sorry about that," she said, trailing her fingers over the girl's lips, "Rain check?"

The familiar smirk was back in place on the girl's lips and she kissed Shaw softly before whispering against her lips, "I can't wait, Sameen."

Before Shaw could ask the mystery girl her real name, or how the hell she knew Shaw's first name, the girl had disappeared.

Shaw actually couldn't wait to see her again.


	2. Lingering Thoughts & A Little Surprise

Shaw felt her heartbeat in her ears as she ran up and down the lacrosse field. This particular practice had been brutal due to the fact that the team was only three weeks away from their semifinal game of the season. Their coach, Jeremy Lambert, wanted the girls to be at their peak condition so that they could crush the other team and make it to the finals.

While her aggression and hostility were discouraged in normal situations, on the field, Lambert encouraged Shaw to act out all of her pent up rage and use it to throw, catch, and score. It was no wonder why Shaw was feared through their city's lacrosse tournaments; girls and guys alike had no desire to face off against the short angry center player.

After practicing a few plays for almost two hours, Lambert divided the girls up in groups of three so they could practice close up passing. Shaw was paired with Zoe, who she hadn't seen since that disastrous frat party two days ago, and their other close friend, Joss Carter.

"Well, it's good to see you're not rotting away in a jail cell somewhere," Shaw greeted Zoe as they triangulated and started lighting tossing the ball around.

Joss chuckled, "Zoe in jail? Please. The girl is way to pretty for jail; she'd be somebody's bitch the second she walks in".

Shaw burst out laughing while Zoe rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you say that like it's a bad thing. Some strong woman wants to protect me from danger because I'm pretty? I'll take it."

Joss tossed the ball at Zoe. "You're such a gold digger".

"Speaking of digging for gold," the tall brunette turned her attention to Shaw while holding the ball in her mesh, "Don't I didn't see you sneaking off with some girl at the party. You're not as stealthy as you think you are."

Shaw glared at her friend, "I didn't sneak off anywhere. Besides, how you would you know? You and the Jolly Green Giant were basically attached at the mouth."

Joss started cackling and went to high five Shaw. Zoe, annoyed with her friends teasing her, threw the ball so it hit Joss in the skin.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" The beautiful dark skinned girl leaned down and rubbed the red mark on her leg.

"Will you two stop acting like children for one second?" Turning back to the tiny brunette, she continued, "Don't play games, Shaw, I know what I saw. Spill. Now."

Shaw looked at both of her friends watching her expectantly and sighed in defeat.

"Fine, fine, I'll tell you. Jesus, you are worse than my mom," Zoe and Joss both nodded in agreement and encouraged Shaw to continue, "Okay, so I did kind of meet someone."

“Ha, I knew it!” Zoe cried, pumping her fist in the air. Joss lightly slapped her arm with her stick and motioned for Shaw to finish her story.

“Whatever, weirdo. Anyway, we talked for a bit then the cops busted up the party so I dipped out before I got arrested. I haven’t seen her since.”

“What was her name?” Joss asked, curiously. Shaw shrugged, giving no response. 

“Wait, all you guys did was talk?” Zoe raised her eyebrow in disbelief, “No wonder you’re so wound up. Someone needs to get laid.”

Shaw raised her stick and hit Zoe really hard on the shoulder. The tall brunette yelped and ran to hide behind Joss, pouting while rubbing her lightly bruising shoulder. Lambert blew his whistle, signaling the end of practice. Shaw made her way to where her bag was discarded on the steel bench without turning around to see if Joss and Zoe were following her. She was not wound up and she was definitely not wound up because of some dumb random girl with beautiful hair and amazing kissing abilities.

Shaw shook her head violently, causing strands of her black hair to escape her ponytail and stick to her sweaty forehead. She needed to pull herself together; this girl was invading her thoughts and she knew negative information about her. The only way she was going to get rid of the girl from her thoughts once and for all is by finding someone else to take her place. 

Joss and Zoe made their way to gather their stuff which was entangled with Shaw’s. Joss plopped down on the bench and started taking off her cleats while Zoe cautiously made her way next to Shaw. 

“Is your violent spree over?” She asked, ready to run in case the tiny brunette took a swing at her.

Shaw nodded her head, shoving her stick and extra lacrosse balls into her duffel bag, “Yeah, sorry and stuff. Let’s do something tonight, okay?”

Joss pulled her gray hoodie over her lacrosse jersey. “What did you have in mind?”

Suddenly, Zoe’s eyes lit up and she flashed them a mischievous grin, “How about we go to John’s place tonight? He invited me over to hang out with a few of his friends but I don’t think he would mind if I brought you guys along.”

Shaw rolled her eyes, “Oh good. Joss and I get to entertain some meat heads while you get some. Sounds awesome.”

“Come on, Shaw, please?” Zoe wrapped her hands around Shaw’s forearm and gave her the saddest puppy dog eyes, “I promise you will have fun.”

Shaw sighed. She didn’t have anything better to do and she really did want to get rid of any lingering memory of the girl from the party. “Fine, I’ll go. But you’re buying us beer.” 

##########################################

A few hours later, Shaw found herself with Zoe and Joss waiting at the downstairs door of a very posh apartment building near the college campus. The girls had showered and changed at Zoe’s house, since her parents were home the least, and Zoe and Joss had dawned sexy short dresses with Shaw had stuck with her usual all black attire. Zoe was carrying a six back of beer specifically for Shaw, Joss had a bottle of vodka in her purse, and Shaw was holding two joints in her wallet. Even if John’s friends ended up being losers, which she figured they would be, at least she knew her and Joss would have a good time.

Zoe leaned into the intercom before pushing the button for 5C. There was a bit of static for a few moments before someone answered the call. “Hello?” The voice that answered sounded sweet and delicate, like a young woman.

“Hi! Is this John Reese’s apartment?” The tall brunette furrowed her eyebrows.

“Yup, sure is! You must be Zoe. Come on up!” The woman sounded very cheery and, after a few beats, they heard the door buzz open. The three girls pushed their way in and walked through the glitzy lobby, taking in the expensive surroundings.

“Jeez, Zo. When you go digging, you don’t stop until you find the holy grail,” Joss teased, pinching Zoe’s bare thigh as they walked.

Zoe pushed her out playfully. “Shut up! He worked hard for this apartment, if you must know. Besides, he has a roommate so it’s not like he plays for this all by himself.” Shaw rolled their eyes as the two girls continued to bicker on the elevator ride up. 

They made their way to 5C; Zoe took the lead and knocked sharply against the door. They heard the sounds of a television and people laughing before the door was pulled open to reveal a beautiful short haired blonde with green eyes wearing black tights and a tight cashmere sweater. The woman looked at the girls for a moment before a sincere smile broke out on her face.

“Hello there!” She greeted, smiling at the three, “I’m Grace, Harold’s girlfriend. Which one of you is Zoe?” Joss and Shaw immediately pointed at the tall brunette who in turn blushed lightly. The blonde’s smile got even bigger before she pulled Zoe into a hug, “It’s so nice to meet you! John has talked very highly of you.”

“Oh he has, has he?” Joss smirked and Shaw snickered into her hand. Grace let Zoe go and turned her attention to the other two girls.

“And who might you be?”

“These are my friends, Joss and Shaw,” Zoe introduced, “I hope it’s okay that I invited them to come with me.”

Grace waved her hand in the air. “It’s not problem at all! The more the merrier! Come on in,” she turned on her fuzzy socked heels and made her way back into the apartment. The girls followed her, closing the door behind them.

Grace led them into a high ceiling living room with one big couch, a loveseat, and one reclining arm chair. There was a massive entertainment center facing the couches; from where Shaw was standing she could see a huge flat screen TV, two Xboxes, a Wii, a DVD player, and an older PlayStation system. Currently the TV was playing old episodes of South Park and Reese was sitting on the big couch, laughing hysterically. Grace made her way over to the reclining chair and sat on the lap of a guy wearing a sweater vest and glasses. Beer bottles and pizza boxes took up most of the short table in the middle of the room.

“John, your guests are here,” Grace smiled devilishly at him. Reese turned his head and his eyes involuntarily lit up when he saw Zoe standing in the door way.

“Zoe, hi,” he got up off the couch and kissed her cheek. He pulled back and looked Joss and Shaw, “Hello Zoe’s new friend. Zoe’s friend from the party.”

“Joss and Shaw will be fine too,” the dark skinned girl laughed, shaking Reese’s hand. Shaw nodded her acknowledgement at him.

“I’m glad you guys could make it. You’ve already met Grace,” he said, pointing at the waving blonde, “and this is her boyfriend and my roommate, Harold Finch,” the speculated boy waved and smiled at the group. 

“These are all your friends?” Shaw said, smirking at John, “Not much of a people person?”

Reese smiled at the tiny brunette’s humor. “Actually I have one more friend coming over. She should be here any minute actually. Then we can get this movie night started.” As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. 

“Hey, Shaw, would you mind getting that? Zoe, Joss, can you help me bring the snacks into the living room?” Reese asked, already making his way into the kitchen. The two girls smiled at Shaw before following Reese into the other room. Shaw rolled her eyes in annoyance but made her way to the door anyways. When she opened the door, her mouth fell open in shock.

“Hey, sweetie. Did you miss me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcomed! :D


	3. Where Did You Come From?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a blast writing this! I hope you enjoy reading it! Comments are always welcomed!

It took a lot to shock Shaw; her parents liked to joke around and say that she was born with a lifetime worth of experience so she had seen it all. However, seeing the girl that was responsible for taking over her every thought for the last two days standing in front of her, threw Shaw for a loop. No words came out of her mouth as she took in the appearance of her secret make-out partner. The girl had traded in her tight dress for skinny jeans and a black T-shirt with a picture of a Transformer printed on it. Her hazel eyes were hidden beneath a pair of black rimmed glasses and that almost permanent smirk fell into place when the girl took in Shaw in the doorway.

“You know, I didn’t think I would see you here but I’m not exactly complaining either,” the girl winked at Shaw and the tiny brunette could fell it down to the pit of her stomach. She clutched the doorknob violently.

“What are you doing here?” She asked through clenched teeth. 

The girl smiled wider, moving the grocery bag in her arms to rest on her hip, “I was invited by my friends, sweetie. I promise I’m not stalking you. Although, that would be a fun adventure, wouldn’t you agree?”

Shaw rolled her eyes hard and left the door standing open. She was not going to engage with this girl and give her more reason to keep bothering her. Yeah, they shared a pretty hot kiss a few days ago but Shaw was not the type to get hung up on anyone. And this random girl wasn’t about to change that. She found a place next to Joss on the big couch and swiped the girl’s cup full of soda and vodka out of her hand.

“Hey! Get your own!” Joss cried, taking the cup back from the tiny brunette and glaring at her when she saw half of the content was missing. 

“Sorry,” Shaw gasped out half-heartedly. The dark skinned girl wasted no time making the strongest drink possible and the vodka was burning her entire throat, making her unable to speak. Which wasn’t exactly a bad thing.

Harold noticed the mystery girl standing in the doorway with her large bag of stuff.

“Root! Finally, we were beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

The girl, Root, smiled at Harold but it was different than the smiles Shaw had previously seen. This smile was warmer and it seemed like she was actually genuinely happy to see him. “Oh, Harold, you know I would never miss movie night. It’s tradition!” She made her way to the coffee table and placed her bag among the rest of the snacks. 

Zoe and Reese appeared from the kitchen; he was wiping his lips with the back of his hand and Zoe was fixing her hair back into its original tight ponytail. Shaw couldn’t help but roll her eyes at how obvious the two were being. Reese’s eyes landed on Root and he walked over to her, pulling her into a light hug.

“I was about to send a search party after you,” he joked. Root lightly punched his arm.

“Awe, Lurch, I love it when you’re sweet to me,” she looked over his shoulder to where Zoe was standing, “Hello, we haven’t met before. I’m Root.”

“Zoe Morgan,” the tall brunette waved, “And these are my friends, Joss and Shaw,” she pointed to the two girls on the couch. Joss held up her cup in greeting while Shaw stared straight at the TV, completely ignoring Root’s presence, “Don’t mind Shaw. It’s nothing personal; she’s always angry.”

Root let her eyes roam over Shaw’s form and smiled delicately, “It’s okay. I enjoy the challenge.”

That declaration made Shaw’s head snap up and she locked eyes with the taller girl. Her scowl deepened as Root’s eyes got brighter and brighter. Finally, she broke off their eye contact in favor of opening a beer and downing half of its content in one go.

“Okay, now that introductions are out of the way, let’s watch a movie,” Grace clapped her hands, swinging her feet where they hung above the floor, “What shall it be tonight? Comedy? Horror? Action?”

“No horror, please” Harold said, paling slightly. Grace saw this change and kissed his forehead lovingly.

“How about action?” Reese suggested from where he and Zoe were sitting on the loveseat, “Let’s watch a classic: Mission Impossible.” Shaw’s eyes lit up; she loved any movie that was filled with guns and explosions. The group agreed and Grace fired up their Netflix to find the movie. Root emerged from the kitchen with a glass of red wine in her hand. Seeing that every spot was taken except one next to Shaw, she practically skipped her way and dropped down into the seat gracefully. Shaw couldn’t believe her bad luck; not only was she stuck in the middle but she had some weird plant named stalker sitting next to her. She did her best to skootch as close to Joss as she could. The taller brunette didn’t seem to mind her moving away; she rested her wine glass against her knee, the tips of her fingers just brushing against Shaw’s thigh.

As the group watched Tom Cruise jump from roofs and throw bombs at bad guys, they made light small talk and ate pizza. When the pizza and movie were finished, Joss suggested everyone got out onto the living room’s attached balcony so that they could smoke the joints Shaw brought. Shaw jumped up immediately and made a beeline for the glass doors; she needed some fresh air after spending two hours with her side pressed up against Root. While Root had made no significant move on Shaw, she would occasionally brush against her thigh or press her side harder against Shaw’s under the pretense of getting more comfortable. The tiny brunette was about to snap and she didn’t want to do it around her friends and these people she didn’t know well.

Grace and Harold declined joining them in smoking, as they had an early morning the next day and didn’t want to be too out of it, so it was only Joss, Zoe, Reese, Root, and Shaw standing outside on the balcony, in a huddled group. Joss lit one of the joints with the lighter in her purse and passed it to Zoe. As it made its way around the group, Shaw realized that she was going to have to pass the joint to Root. 

‘Great,’ she thought, taking a big inhale and keeping it in her lungs, ‘All I want to do is limit my contact with her and the universe keeps flipping me off.’

Exhaling the smoke, Shaw passed the joint to Root who took it from her, purposely making their fingers touch longer than normal. Shaw snatched her hand away and glared as the taller girl took her hit. Root knew Shaw was watching and proceeded to make the smoke rings that turned her on so much at the party. The shorter girl took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

“So,” Joss said, breaking the comfortable silence, “Do you go to school with Reese and Harold, Root?”

The tall brunette shook her head. “No, I actually finished college about two years ago. I just hang out with the boys for the free labor,” she winked at Reese, who put his hand over his heart in mock hurt. 

Zoe’s eyebrows raised to her hairline as she passed the joint back to Reese, “Damn, girl. You must be some sort of genius.”

Root waved off the compliment, “Nah, anyone can finish college quickly. It’s just about memorizing facts and spitting it back to the teacher.”

“Whatever you say, nerd,” Shaw chuckled and took a hit from the joint. Root’s eyes found hers and she saw that stupid smirk fall into place on those perfect pink lips.

“Awe, Shaw, are you jealous? I mean, it’s okay if you are. I know you young kids don’t really understand such a high level of learning.” Reese, Joss, and Zoe exchanged worried glances as they saw Shaw’s face start to turn red.

“You know, I’ve had enough,” Joss said suddenly, handing off the lighter to Shaw, 

“Let’s go in guys,” she made her way back inside the apartment with Zoe and Reese right on her heels. The glass door slide shut and the silence around Root and Shaw turned thick quickly. The taller girl was not fazed by Shaw’s anger; in fact, she almost seemed encouraged by it.

“Look, I don’t know who you think you are or where you come from but you are not going to talk down to me like you’re some all-knowing being and I’m below you,” Shaw exhaled her hit angrily, staring into Root’s eyes behind those glasses she was trying so hard not to think were sexy.

Root moved in closer to Shaw, putting her hands on the tiny girl’s hips through her jeans. As much as the contact made her way to pull away from the taller girl, Shaw stayed put in order to see what Root would do. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I never want you to think you’re below me. Unless, that is something you’re interested in and, if so, I’m completely up for that,” she winked at Shaw.

The tiny brunette should find this type of blatant flirting annoying and crossing the line but, for some reason, she found it incredibly attractive that Root was being so blunt and obvious about her attraction. Shaw is a very straight forward person and she appreciated anyone who had no problem saying what they wanted. But, she also didn’t like Root having the upper hand in a situation, so, she shoved the taller girl back slightly and relit the joint that went out. As she was about to exhale, Root moved suddenly and brought her hands to the back of Shaw’s neck. With just the right amount of pressure, Root brought their lips together and kissed the shorter girl soundly, inhaling all of the smoke from Shaw’s lungs. Shaw was taken by surprise, again, but she wasn’t about to stop kissing the girl she had been fantasizing about for the last few days.

They kissed passionately for a few minutes, pushing back and forth, fighting for dominance over the kiss. They broke apart slightly so that Root could exhale the smoke in her mouth but then she dove back into kissing Shaw again; this time, she added her tongue to the kiss. Root moved her hands into as much of Shaw’s hair as her ponytail allowed and Shaw moved her hands up Root’s baggy shirt, stroking the smooth soft skin of her lower back. Just as her hands were moving up towards her bra clasp, Root pulled back from the kiss altogether. Looking down at Shaw’s flustered face and swollen lips, Root gave her softer smile than the usual smirk Shaw had been dreaming about.

“We should get back before they come looking for us,” Root said, moving backwards towards the door. Shaw was still frozen in her spot, staring at the taller girl, at a loss of words. Root chuckled and gave one last retort before opening the door.

“Until next time, Sameen.”


	4. So Many Questions & No Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooooohoooooo! Running on a high of this story! And you all keep me going!

After pulling herself together, Shaw made her way back inside to find everyone was sitting in their original spots, waiting to start the second Mission Impossible movies. Shaw didn’t want to show Root how flustered she became just because of a kiss, so she schooled her features into her normal blank stare and took her place next to Joss. Root was engaging in a conversation with Harold about coding on the computer so she let out a little sigh of relief; she didn’t feel like getting scrutinized by the taller girl. However, when she turned to Joss to give her back the lighter, she found her best friend was staring at her with clarity in her eyes despite the fact that she was double buzzed.

“What?” Shaw whispered so that she wouldn’t be heard over the explosions on screen. 

“Don’t you ‘what?’ me”, Joss fired back, looking at her accusingly, “What’s going on with you and tree girl over there?”

“First, her name is Root. Second, there is nothing going on,” the dark skinned girl looked at her with a raise eyebrow. Shaw hated being emotionally weak but she couldn’t lie to her best friends, it wasn’t in her DNA. “Okay, fine, I’ll tell you. But don’t tell blabber mouth over there,” she motioned to where Zoe was sitting snuggled up in Reese’s embrace. Joss nodded in agreement. “Root is the girl I made out with at the party on Friday.”

Joss’ eyes widened to a cartoonish level. “What?!” She whispered yelled, “You said you guys only talked! And now she’s’ here?! Are you guys dating and you haven’t told us?” Joss looked hurt as she said that. Shaw had to suppress the urge to roll her eyes; while she didn’t really care to know about her friends’ romantic dalliances, Zoe and Joss have forced her into their girl talk conversations for as long as they have been friends. She knew that the two of them would be crushed if there was something romantic happening in Shaw’s life and they were unaware of it. 

“We are not dating!” Shaw whispered back harshly, looking back at Root to make sure she was still engaged with Harold, “I didn’t even know she would be here. She’s their friend, no one could have seen that coming.”

Joss seemed satisfied with that answer but she still looked a bit skeptical, “Were you guys making out outside? Is that what took you so long?” When Shaw didn’t answer and a faint blush dusted over her cheeks, Joss shook her head, “Man, between you two and Zoe and the big guy, I honestly can’t say who’s worse.”

“Promise me you won’t tell Zoe, okay? I’ll tell her when I’m ready to. You know she’s going to make it a big deal.”

“Okay, I won’t,” Joss agreed, knowing how excitable Zoe got, especially when it came to her friends’ romantic lives. “But, you are to report any and all details about this tryst or else I blab. Deal?”

Shaw threw her head back against the couch and sighed in defeat but she gave Joss a thumb up indicating that they had a deal. Joss turned back to watching the movie right as Root finished her conversation with Harold. Shaw tried to feign interest in what was happening on the screen but all she kept thinking about was how warm Root was or how amazing she smelled or how much she wanted to kiss her again.

‘Get ahold of yourself, idiot!” Her mind screamed at her, ‘Do not get carried away because of some girl. It’s beneath you.’ Agreeing with herself, Shaw got more comfortable in the couch and actually started paying attention to what was happening in the movie. 

The group watched the movie in silence for a few minutes before Shaw felt the tips of fingers making their way up her thigh. She ignored the movements, knowing it was just a way for Root to get a rise out of her. But, Shaw was not about to give her the satisfaction of seeing her sweat. After a few moments of moving upward, Root removed her hand entirely and shivered a bit like she was cold.

“Oooo, it’s a little chilly in here, boys. Do you have a blanket I can use?" Harold reached into the pocket of the reclining chair and pulled out a dark purple throw blanket and tossed it over to the couch. Because it was so big when Root unfolded it, she made sure to spread the blanket across Shaw’s and Joss’ lap. Joss smiled at her appreciatively and snuggled into the blanket for warmth. Shaw continued to ignore her and kept her eyes so focused on Tom Cruise’s face that they started to water. 

Once everyone settled back in with their blankets, the comfortable silence fell over them once again. After another explosion, Root took her fingers and started their journey back up Shaw’s thigh. Only this time, she allowed them to go higher than before thanks to the privacy the blanket gave them. She walked her fingertips to where Shaw’s pocket was; from there, she slowly traced them across her hip bones, just barely dipping into the apex of her thighs. Shaw gasped lightly at the bold strokes but did nothing to stop them; instead, she spread her legs just a little bit to give Root a little more room to work with. That seemed to be the right move because Root smiled evilly before making her strokes harder than before. Both girls were staring at the movie but they knew their real attention was on what was happening underneath the blanket. Root moved her fingers up into the waistband of Shaw’s jeans and stroked the soft skin of her stomach. Shaw bit her lip hard and, from the corner of her eye, she could see Root’s eyes lock onto her lip and stare at it like a lion stares at its prey. She was about to slide her fingers deeper into the middle of her thighs to really drive Shaw wild when the shorter girl abruptly jumped up. The group turned to look at her with concern on their faces; even Root feigned like she had no idea what caused the scare.

“Shaw? Are you okay?” Zoe asked, furrowing her brows at her best friend. Shaw nodded her head fast before turning to Root.

“Yeah, I’m cool. I was just going to make drinks for everyone. Want to help me, Root?” Not waiting for a response, Shaw stalked her way to the kitchen knowing that the taller girl would be right behind her. 

Once they were in the kitchen, the fake concern on Root’s face melted away to make way for a smile that implied so many dirty things all at once. Shaw ran her hand over her face and took a deep breath. “Flustered, Sameen?” Root asked, hoping onto the counter.

The tiny girl snapped her head to look at Root and she glared at her. “How do you know my first name? And stop calling me that! You sound like my parents.”

“Oh, sweetie, I know a lot of things about you. You fascinate me,” Root picked up a shiny red apple out of the fruit bowl next to her and proceeded to take a bite of it.

“What does that even mean? Are you always this vague and annoying?”

“Vague, yes. The annoying part is just a Shaw special, I’m afraid.”

Shaw turned her back on the taller girl and gripped the sink until her knuckles turned while. Never in her life has she felt so out of control; people rarely got under her skin and if they did, it was because she allowed them too. But, Root was doing this on her own time and she didn’t wait for Shaw’s permission; she teased and flirted with her shamelessly and didn’t try to hide her intentions from the shorter girl. It was a fact that was both increasingly hot and mind numbingly irritating. Taking a few more deep breaths so that she didn’t punch or kiss the girl on the counter, Shaw turned back around to face this enigma head on.

“Look, I don’t know what you want from me. But I am not your toy. I am not your plaything. So stop trying to mess with my head before I make you stop.”

The threat of violence caused a glint to appear in Root’s eye, “Is that a promise?” She chewed on her bite of apple, watching as Shaw threw her hands in the air.

“Okay, that’s it! Stay away from me, alright? I don’t want to see or talk to you ever again. This stops now.”

Root tilted her at Shaw as she finished her apple. Throwing the core into the sink, she slipped off the counter and sauntered her way over to Shaw. She could tell the smaller girl was trying to touch her because she could see Shaw’s hands shaking where they were balled up at her sides. Staring straight into Shaw’s eyes, Root smirked at her.

“Oh, sweetie. We’ve only just begun. I hope you’re ready for it,” with that remark, and the saucy wink that when along with it, Root picked up the bottles vodka and soda from the counter and made her way back into the living room.

Shaw watched her go, feeling dumbstruck for what felt like the millionth time that night. Resting her head against the cool refrigerator, Shaw thought to herself, ‘What the hell did I get myself into?’


	5. Mom's Advice Is What You Need

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaand here's another one! Comments are appreciated!

A week after what has been dubbed by Joss as “couch gate”, Shaw found herself tearing off her helmet and throwing it into her duffel bag. Lambert told her to hit the showers halfway through practice due to the fact that she was “unfocused” and “all over the place.” If it wasn’t for the fact that Lambert was both a good coach and her favorite teacher, Shaw would have broken her lacrosse stick over his head. Instead, she growling quietly as he reamed her in front of the team and then stalked off to make her way home while the rest of team continued practicing. 

It wasn’t her fault that her wasn’t in the game today, or any day this week. After the incident at Reese’s apartment with his super weird friend, Shaw’s thoughts were constantly bombarded with images of Root; she thought about kissing her, touching her, hearing her breathy gasp as she slides her hands up her thigh and onto her….

Shaw grabbed her bag violently off the bench and started her ten-minute walk home. Now she could see why Lambert had no problem pulling her from practice; she couldn’t go one minute without thinking about the gorgeous tall brunette with delicious lips and a flare for mystery. The shorter girl felt like she was in one of those romantic comedies that Zoe and Joss made her watch at their sleepovers; she was the girl in high school being romanced by the bad girl stranger who appeared randomly in her life. She ran her hand through her hair, messing up her ponytail, and sighed heavily as she made her way to her front door. Both of her parents’ cars were in the driveway so she knew she had to come up with some explanation as to why she was home from practice an hour early. 

Opening her front door, Shaw could smell the telltale sign of dinner being made. She exhaled deeply and her mouth instantly watered at the smell of pasta and garlic bread that was wafting from the kitchen. Right on cue, Bear, the family’s Belgian Shepherd, came running up to Shaw; he bounced excitedly, knocking his head against her head so that she would pet him. Dropping her bag in the front foyer and kicking the door closed, Shaw sank to her knees and started petting Bear furiously.

“Hey, boy! I missed you today,” she cooed, stroking his soft fur. While Shaw couldn’t relate to people on any level, she had no problem relating to Bear. They had more things in common; they both loved meat, going for a nice long runs, and watching violent shows on Spike TV on the weekends. She kissed his snout and he licked her cheek before she stood back up. 

Walking further into her house, Shaw found her father, Miguel, sitting in his office, newspaper spread on his desk and a tumbler of scotch in his hand. She leaned against the wooden doorframe and smiled; she loved catching her usually stoic doctor father in the rare moments he allowed himself to unwind. In those moments Shaw remembered how fun and playful her father could be when he wasn’t hunched over files he brought home from the hospital.

“You know you can come in, if you want,” Miguel said, his eyes never leaving the paper but a smile tugged on his lips. Shaw smiled and made her way into his office. She sat in one of the comfortable chairs in front of the desk and put her feet up on the edge. Miguel stared at her over the tops of his reading glasses.

“Must you scratch my oak desk with your monster feet?” He teased. The shorter girl rolled her eyes.

“I got my monster feet from you, old man,” she shot right back at him and Miguel let out a deep laugh.

“And apparently you got your sense of humor from me as well,” he closed the newspaper, folded it in half, and placed it off to the side to be picked up later, “What are you doing home so early from practice, jangjoo?”

Shaw kept her gaze away from her father’s eyes. If she couldn’t lie to her best friends, there was no way she could lie to her father; she admired him too much to deceive him. “Coach wasn’t feeling how I was playing today so he sent me home.”

Miguel nodded, taking a sip of his scotch before putting the glass down, “And, why was he not ‘feeling’ the way you were playing?”

Shaw shrunk under the gaze of her father, “My head wasn’t it in today, dad. Everyone has off days. Lambert just has a stick up his ass because the semi-finals are coming up soon.” Her father laughed again, shaking his head at his daughter’s brashness.

"Well, if it was just one off day, I’m sure he’ll get over it. But, is there something bothering you, Sameen? You know you can tell me if there is.”

Hearing her first name said after all the times Root called her by it made her feel weird. The usual comfort she got in only her parents calling her by her first name was now tainted by the fact that some girl calls her by it as well. And she still has no idea how Root came to know her first name anyway!

“I’m fine, dad. Honestly. It’s just the stress of school and lacrosse really got to me this week. I just need extra sleep and then I’ll be fine”.

Miguel nodded, seeming to believe what his daughter was telling him. “Okay, jangjoo, if you say so. How about you go help your mother with dinner so we can spend a little time together before you turn in early, okay?” Shaw nodded before standing up and making her way towards the enticing smells in the kitchen.

Moving around the kitchen, humming songs she learned from her mother, Ava Shaw was completely in her element as she cut up vegetables and put them in the pasta sauce. Bear was waiting patiently at her feet in the hopes that any food bits would fall and he could eat them. Shaw walked over to the counter where her mother stood and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Turning to face her daughter, Ava’s eyes lit up and a big smile crossed her face.

“Sameen! You’re home early! I wasn’t expecting you for another half hour.”

Shaw shrugged and stole a piece of tomato before her mother could bat her hands away, “I got out of practice early today and I’m starving so I thought I give you a hand with dinner.”

Ava kissed her daughter’s forehead and beamed at her, “Aren’t you the best daughter in the world? Come, you are spread the garlic butter on the bread and then set the table, okay?” Shaw nodded at her instructions and started working on her tasks. The two women worked together in harmony with Shaw being her usual silent self and her mother continuing humming songs from her youth. Shaw had just finished setting the table when Ava broke the silence with, “So, are you going to tell me about her?”

Shaw’s eyes widened and her neck almost snap with how fast she looked at her mother. Ava was stirring the sauce, smiling knowingly at her daughter’s dumbstruck expression. “Oh, come on, Sameen. I’m your mother! I know you better than you know yourself and I definitely know when your mind is preoccupied because of someone. And, since you haven’t brought a boy home in quite some time, I figured it had to be a girl.”

The shorter girl stared at her mother in disbelief. Was she really that obvious about how much she was thinking about Root? Could everyone tell how much the taller girl affected her? Shaw shrugged away those thoughts and turned to face her mother. 

“Yeah, okay, you got me. There is……..someone. But, it’s not serious so, please, don’t tell dad and don’t make this into a big deal, okay?”

“Not serious?” Ava raised her eyebrow at Shaw, “Are you at least being safe?”

“Oh my god, mom!” Shaw cried, covering her face with her hands. For as cool as her parents are, sometimes she forgot that they were parents and embarrassment came in their blood, “It’s not even like that! We just kissed, that’s it!”

Ava smiled devilishly. “Ahhhh, I see. So, you haven’t done anything except kiss and this girl has you thinking about her that hard? How interesting.” Shaw mumbled something from behind her hands, “What was that, honey?”

The younger brunette sighed, “Her name is Root. She’s not some girl.” Ava smiled even brighter at her and Shaw was starting to regret even telling her mother that little information. 

“Seems like someone is a bit smitten,” Ava sing-songed, winking at the blush that overtook Shaw’s face without her permission.

“I am not smitten! Ew!” Shaw cried, trying to make herself sound convincing. Her mother nodded and continued cooking while Shaw struggled with the battle inside herself. Finally, her curious side won and she asked, “What would someone do if they were…..smitten? Not saying I am, obviously. But, if someone was, what should they do about it?”

Ava turned off all the burners and turned to face her daughter. Walking closer to Shaw, she took her hands and said, “Sweetheart, if you like this girl…..if you like Root,” she corrected herself, “Then tell her. Life is too short to ignore how you feel. I mean, if I had done that, I would have never met your father and you wouldn’t be here,” Shaw looked down at her feet, trying not to show her nerves, “I know putting yourself out there can be scary. But, I promise you, she would be crazy not to jump at the chance to be with you.”

Shaw lifted her head and saw the sincerity and love in her mother’s eyes. She tried very hard not to let her eyes tear up. “Thanks, mom,” she said, smiling slightly, trying not to let her voice waver.

“Anytime love,” she kissed the back of Shaw’s hands and made her way back to the stove, “Now, go get your father. It’s time to eat!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jangjoo: warrior


	6. Girls' Night Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ain't no stopping us nowwwwwwww

The talk with her mother really gave Shaw hope that maybe something could happen with Root. She still wasn't a fan of that cutesy romantic stuff but somewhere inside of her she knew she wanted more than this game of cat and mouse with the other girl. The only problem standing in her way is that she had no way of communicating with her. She knew the girl was friends with Reese and Harold but she didn't know them well enough to ask personal details about Root. And, since Zoe was still unaware of any feelings she has for Root, Shaw knew she couldn't ask her to ask Reese. 

So, a week later, Shaw found herself in the annual tradition of girls' night with Zoe and Joss. The girls gathered together in Zoe’s furnished basement, wrapped in sleeping bags and cozy blankets, playing Mario Kart. Well, Joss and Shaw were racing while trash talking one another while Zoe pouted off to the side, still upset she got knocked off of the Rainbow Road track.

“It’s so unfair that you cheaters gang up on me,” Zoe complained, “There should be rules against group attacks.”

Joss rolled her eyes while throwing a shell at Shaw’s motorcycle, “Oh, shove it, Zo. You are such a sore loser.”

“Yeah, it’s not our fault you have no hand eye coordination,” Shaw crossed the finish line and let out a cry of joy, “Ha! I am the champion! Suck on that!” Joss groaned, dropping the remote to the ground, and leaning back against the couch. 

“Every single time,” the dark skinned girls pointed at Shaw, “You have to have some cheat codes or something. It’s unnatural.”

“Maybe, I’m just so awesome you losers can’t handle it,” the tiny girl stuck out her tongue at her friends. 

Zoe picked up her soda and sipped it delicately, “Well, now that Shaw has proven once again that she’s the man, let’s move on to more important issues.”

Joss pulled herself onto the couch and reached for the abandoned bag of Oreos left on a cushion, “And what issues would that be, oh great leader?”

The tall brunette dipped her fingertips into her glass and flicked a few drops of soda onto Joss’ arm, “Shut up and maybe you’ll find out!” She set her glass down on the coffee table and clapped her hands together, “Girls, I think I’m in love.”

“Oh my god,” Shaw rolled her eyes so hard she thought they would get stuck inside her head, “That’s the important issue. I think you have your priorities mixed up.”

Zoe continued talking, ignoring Shaw’s remark, “John is so sweet and amazing. He really listens to me and I feel so comfortable around him.”

Joss nodded, “Yeah, he seems like a pretty chill dude. Kinda serious sometimes but I like him.”

“Shaw?” Zoe looked over to where Shaw was standing by the TV, changing the game on the Wii.

The shorter girl closed the console and plopped down next to Joss, stealing one of the Oreos, “He’s cool, I guess. I mean, if you like him, he can’t be all bad.”

Zoe’s eyes lit up and her smile got wider, “I’m so happy to hear that! You know both of your opinions means the world to me.”

“Does that mean you’ll finally throw out that hideous pair of corduroy jeans that we hate?” Joss asked, smiling teasingly. Shaw choked on her cookie laughing.

“Sometimes I wonder why I hang out with you guys. You can be so mean and unsupportive,” Zoe crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the TV. Shaw and Joss shared a look; they loved teasing Zoe but sometimes they hurt her feelings for real. Joss put the Oreo bag down and moved to sit next to Zoe.

“Hey, Zo,” she wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders, “We’re just teasing you. If you really like this guy and he treats you right, you know we’re 100% behind you. Isn’t that right, Shaw?”

The shorter girl stuffed another cookie into her mouth and nodded. She felt bad about hurting Zoe’s feelings but she still wasn’t good at expressing how she felt. She figured Zoe could read her and know she was sorry after all their years of friendship. She caught the taller brunette’s eye and nodded at her. Zoe seemed to understand and smiled softly at her.

“It’s okay. I know you guys mean well. I can just be a little sensitive sometimes,” Zoe waved them off, laughing a little. Joss looked at Shaw and gave her a look she knew meant that she should tell Zoe about the weird thing going with Root. If she was upset about their teasing, there was no way to imagine how Zoe would react if she found out Joss and Shaw hid something from her.

Shaw sighed deeply and rubbed her hand over her face. “Ugh, okay. Zoe, I have to talk to you about something and I need you to promise not to freak out about it, okay?”

Zoe looked at her curiously and titled her head to the side. “Yeah, sure. I promise. What’s up, Shaw? Are you okay?”

The shorter girl ate another cookie before answering, “Look, I made out with Root at the frat party. And at the movie night at Reese’s place last week. Actually it was a little more than making out……..anyways, that’s not the point. The point is I’m in this weird thing with her and I thought you should know about it, okay?”

There was a long silence between the three girls. Shaw kept eating cookies while Joss looked between the two of them, waiting for some kind of reaction. Finally, Zoe burst out laughing so hard that tears started to form in her eyes. Joss and Shaw looked at her like she grew a second head.

“Uh, Zo, are you okay? Did you spring a leak?” Joss asked, waving her hand in front of the taller girl’s face. Zoe kept laughing, wiping away the tears before addressing her friends.

“That is the best thing I have heard in a while. Oh my god, wait until I tell John. He is going to freak out!”

Shaw scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, “What the hell, Zoe? What are you talking about? Are you not mad I didn’t tell you right away?”

The tall brunette shook her head, smiling brightly, “Oh no, Shaw, I’m not mad. To be honest, I’m surprised you told me this soon; you’re not the most forthcoming person in the world,” Joss nodded, agreeing with her while Shaw rolled her eyes for the millionth time, “But, I have a confession to make myself. I didn’t go to that party just to meet up with John.”

“What?” Shaw asked, turning her full attention to her best friend, “Why else did we go there for?”

Zoe rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly before responding, “Ummmm, well, you see, when John invited me to the party, he mentioned he was going to be there with his friend. And his friend sounded just like you: badass, super smart, and kind of a loner. So, I suggested hooking the two of you up since you were so similar. But, we got a little distracted before we could introduce you two. Apparently you two didn’t need our help, though.”

Both Joss and Shaw stared at Zoe in complete shock. “Wait, you brought me to that party to set me up on a blind date?!”

Joss started cackling, falling into the couch, holding her stomach, “Oh my god! I did NOT see that coming!”

Shaw stood up and started advancing on Zoe, “You have five seconds to run before I destroy you.”

Zoe grabbed a pillow and held it in front of her torso, very scared at the unpredictability of Shaw’s actions, “Look, I would apologize but you and Root seemed to hit it off without our help. So, in a way, you’re welcome.” Shaw made a threatening move towards Zoe and the taller girl leaped off the couch, running towards the kitchen. Shaw stood in the middle of the living room, clenching her fist. Joss, who had finished laughing and was knowing smiling at Shaw, lightly pushed her thigh with her socked foot.

“Oh, come on. It’s not a big deal. So, Root was going to be your blind date. You guys still found each other on your own. And, everything else you two did was definitely on your own terms,” the shorter girl’s glare could melt an iceberg. Joss threw her hands in the air and stood up, “Fine, be mad if you want. I’m going to make sure Zoe isn’t trying to escape through a window.” She left Shaw alone, frozen in shock.

Shaw didn’t know what to think. She was pissed Zoe didn’t tell her the real reason she brought her to the party and she was supremely pissed that Root probably knew Shaw was going to be her date and held that information away from her. She felt tricked and so embarrassed that she actually considered looking for Root to talk to her. 

She wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun!! The drama has begun!


	7. Do You Trust Me?

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Though Shaw was in her senior year, she still took a full day’s worth of classes to impress the colleges she was applying to. She wanted to go into pre-med, like her father, and she knew the college boards would appreciate the fact that she still took eight periods worth of AP courses while the rest of her peers only took three classes and blew off the rest of the day. Since Joss and Zoe already left for the day and lacrosse practice was canceled due to an emergency Lambert had to deal with, Shaw decided to make her way down to the park to have some alone time.

She was still reeling from the information Zoe shared with her at their slumber party. She got over being mad at Zoe; she never could be angry with her for long. But, it was the fact that Root knew so much about her before their meeting and the fact she hid their true purpose to hang out, that really got under her skin. This damn girl thought she could just waltz into her life, play with her mind like it’s a board game, and then disappear like nothing happened. Well, Shaw was no longer going to give her the satisfaction of being in charge. She was going to take back control and get that wicked beauty out of her thoughts for good.

The park was full of kids from the elementary school blowing off the steam of being trapped inside all day since it had been raining earlier. The soft wet ground felt squishy under her boots but she reveled in the cool, damp air. She made her way to the pond at the center of the park, sitting on the old scuffed up bench that had become unofficially hers. She had spent many afternoons on that bench, alone and with Zoe and Joss, thinking about life or sitting in complete silence. 

She dropped onto the bench, throwing her school bag onto the seat next to her. Shaw took her hair of its usual ponytail and scratched the back of her head. A group of ducks were floating past her on the pond’s surface; it was a mother and her babies trailing behind her. Shaw couldn’t help the smile that formed on the corner of her lips when she realized that, out of all the baby ducks, the one who was leading them was the rut of the pack. She always said people should watch out for the little guys; they’re the ones who will get you in the end.

Shaw took out her Chemistry book and was about to start studying for the quiz she had on Friday when something caught her eye. Actually, it was someone.

Across the pond, standing right near the edge throwing cut up pieces of bread towards the ducks, was the object of her obsession for the past two weeks. Root looked like she had just come a job interview; she wore a black knee length pencil skirt, a pale pink blouse, and sensible high heels. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun that looked both elegant and effortlessly sexy at the same time. The only thing that was missing were those black glasses. Shaw wanted to look away and pretend the other girl didn’t exist but her eyes kept betraying her and following the long line of her legs in that skirt.

Root finished throwing the bread in her hands, wiping the crumbs leftover by rubbing them together. She smiled at the ducks as they swam away and it looked like she was about to be on her way when, as if she could feel eyes watching her, she looked across the way to find the tiny brunette staring angrily at her. She smirked and gave her a little flirtatious finger wave.

Shaw slammed her book shut and started striding over to the taller girl, leaving her stuff thrown hazardously on the bench. ‘She is not getting away with this,’ Shaw thought, as she closed in on Root, ‘She doesn’t make the rules. I do.’

Root picked up the small briefcase from the grass and stood up straight up the small brunette moved in and got into her face.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from me?” Shaw spat at Root.

The taller girl was unfazed by her anger and moved to tuck a piece of loose hair behind Shaw’s ear. The brunette jerked her head back and steeled her eyes on the other girl. 

“Aw, sweetie, what’s going on? Last time we saw each other we had some fun,” she gave Shaw a dirty smile.

Shaw crossed her arms over her chest and tried to control her anger, “Look, I don’t know what you want from me but I can promise you that you will never get it. So, why don’t you just leave me alone and go back to your own life?”

Root pouted deeply, “Oh, Sameen. I love how fiery you are. It really makes me excited, if you know what I mean,” she placed her hand on Shaw’s forearm and leaned in closer to her face. Shaw pushed her off and took a few steps back.

“What the hell, Root? What is this? What are you playing at? You are driving me insane and I am about to punch you in the face. So, how about you stop all this nonsense and tell me what you want.”

There was a brief silence between the girls, the only sound you could hear were the ducks splashing around in the pond. Then, Root nodded, “Okay, sweetie. I think I was having too much fun and not thinking about you. How about you come with me and we can go somewhere to talk,” Shaw raised an eyebrow at the girl, “No funny business. Just talking, I promise.” Root turned on her heel and started walking towards the bench that had Shaw’s stuff on it. She was a few feet away when she realized Shaw was not walking with her and was still standing in her spot. She rolled her eyes a little, “Come on, Sameen. You want answers and I’ll give them to you. But, you’re going to have to trust me.”

Shaw scoffed, walking past Root to pick up her bag, “Trust you? I don’t even know you,” she held up her hand to stop whatever innuendo that she knew was coming from the other girl.

Root nodded and continued, “If you trust me, I promise you won’t regret it.”

Shaw stared hard at the taller girl, weighing her options. Of course the smart option would be to tell Root to leave her alone, go home, and finish her homework before bed. But, the option that involved such a beautiful, tempting, and mysterious girl was too irresistible to pass up. She took a deep breath, hoping she wasn’t going to regret the choice she was about to make.

“Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will give a superstar sticker to anyone who can guess which Disney movie inspired this chapter.


	8. An Interesting Offer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My neck hurts from typing so much but nothing is going to stop me!

Shaw shifted nervously in the passenger seat of Root’s silver Honda Civic. The said owner of the car was tapping her fingers against the steering wheel in time to the song playing on the radio. Root seemed very relaxed and confident, smiling as she made her way through unfamiliar streets, passing houses that only got larger in size. The shorter girl looked at the window, watching all the lush trees as they flew by.

She still wasn’t sure what Root’s end game was; going along with her insane plan was done on a whim, just so she could see a glimpse into Root’s thought process. 

Unfortunately, after they took off in Root’s car, the taller girl offered no information on where they were going or what they were doing. Now, almost fifteen minutes later, the tiny brunette was starting to get anxious; she was picking at the leather seats until tiny pieces of leather were caught in her fingernails. Finally, Shaw couldn’t take it anymore and she broke the peaceful music vibe Root had been enjoying.

“Where are we going?” Shaw demanded, looking furiously at the driver.

Root let another big smile cross over her face, “Why so curious, Sameen? Can’t you enjoy the ride and not worry about the destination?”

Shaw rolled her eyes, “What are you, a fortune cookie?”

The taller girl chuckled, taking one hand off the steering wheel and placing it onto Shaw’s thigh. Surprising, the shorter girl did not peel it off her. “No, but, I can tell you I am just as delicious.”

“Oh my god. Can you not go one conversation without saying something dirty?”

Root shrugged, trailing her fingertips over the other girl’s leg, “I mean I could do that. But where is the fun in that?” Shaw stayed silence and turned back to stare out of the window. If Root wanted to evasive, she wasn’t going to waste her breath trying to talk to her. 

The two girls continued to listen to the radio and sit in the comfort they have naturally together. Though Shaw didn’t want to admit it, she liked the fact that she didn’t have to fill the space with nonsense chit chat. And, she was impressed that Root knew when to talk and when to let her be. From the previous encounters, Shaw could tell that Root had no problem pushing her boundaries until they broke but she liked that the taller girl gave her the space she needed. After another ten minutes of driving, Root pulled into the circular driveway of a house that looked like it should be featured on an episode of MTV Cribs. Shaw’s eyebrows rose to her hairline.

“Who’s house is this?” She asked, accusingly. Root parked the car, smirking at the shorter girl.

“Wanna find out?” The taller girl held up a keyring that held at least ten keys that all looked the same. The shorter girl looked so confused as Root made her way out of the car and up to the massive front door. It was a weird situation, sure, but Shaw made it this far into the trip so she figured she should see it through. She got out of the car and followed the strange girl into the house.

Shaw took looked around the huge foyer; it was lined with marble that looked so expensive she could feel it getting dirty just by her looking at it. There were beautiful statues lining the hallway; the entire place looked like belonged in a museum somewhere. Root strode past all of the expensive things like she wasn’t fazed by them and went straight back towards a back room. Shaw shrugged and followed her, trying not to explode with all of the questions inside of her.

The tiny brunette found Root in a spacious living room area. It was forest green and there were heads of animals mounted on the walls. There was no TV or entertainment system; instead, there were bookcases and books strewn everywhere. Instead of comfortable couches, there was one couch that looked it came from the 1950s and two different rocking chairs. It looked like this house was owned by two art loving, rich old people.

“What the hell?” Shaw asked, looking around the room.

Root sat in one of the rocking chairs, picking up a discarded Virginia Woolf novel on the floor, “It’s just one of the places I like to go when I need to get away. I find breaking away from the constant technology helps the brain sharp.”

Shaw sat on the old couch, her face contorting when she felt how stiff and uncomfortable it was. “Is this your grandparents’ place or something?”

The taller brunette chuckled, flipping through the book like a regular girl would flip through a fashion magazine. Shaw wouldn’t be surprised if Root absorbed the entire plot in just that quick flip through. “Something like that. I wouldn’t worry your pretty little head about it. Let’s get to the real reason we are here,” she smiled brightly at Shaw, “You had some questions?”

Shaw sighed, turning to face her companion, “Yeah. What’s up with this, Root? Why are you playing me like some kind of fool?”

A pout formed on Root’s kissable lips and Shaw was having a hard time not kissing them. “Oh, Sameen, I would never think you were a fool. You’re one of the smartest people I know, in fact.”

“There! That!” Shaw pointed at her, “How do you even know my first name? I don’t tell anyone that. No one.”

Root’s smiled deepened, “Well, aren’t I special. I found your name on the internet, Sam. It’s a marvelous thing; you should check it out sometime,” the shorter brunette clenched her jaw, pushing down the feelings of reaching out and hitting the smug looking girl, “But, I am sorry for calling you that without your permission. I had no idea you would be so opposed to. Do you want me to stop calling you that?”

Shaw didn’t respond right away, thinking about that question. On the one hand, this was her opportunity to put an end to such an annoying quirk. However, she rather liked hearing her name come out of the girl’s mouth. She let out air through her teeth and mumbled, “It’s whatever. Call me whatever you want.”

The answer seemed to satisfy Root, who unusually made no comment about Shaw’s submissiveness. Instead, she continued talking as if Shaw said nothing, “As for your other question, I am not trying to play you in any way. I meant what I said when we first met, Shaw. You truly fascinate me and I just want to get to know you better.”

“Really? That’s all you want? To know me?” Shaw looked at her in disbelief, “I promise I’m not that interesting. So you should just give up now.”

Root leaned back into the chair and crossed her legs, causing her skirt to ride up a few inches on her thigh, “Oh no, Sam, I never give up on projects. Quitting isn’t exactly my forte. So, I guess I’ll have to keep pursuing you until you stop resisting.”

The shorter girl tried not to look but Root’s thighs seemed to be calling to her like a siren song. “And what happens if I keep resisting?”

A dark smile formed on Root’s lips, her teeth gleaming like a wolf about to eat its prey, “I won’t mind a little resistance for the things I have in mind.” Shaw couldn’t help the flash of desire that pierced her stomach. Root was so dangerous and sexy; like an evil villain you couldn’t help but root for to win against the good guys. Shaw still had some reservations about her, especially knowing the true intent of the party where they met, but, her mother’s advice also rang in her ear. She deserved to know where this could go and maybe have a little fun with the taller girl along the way.

She leaned forward towards Root, giving her own dirty smile. She could see Root’s eyes darken and felt a sense of pride at knowing she was desired so much, “Okay, Root. I’ll stop resisting you,” Root looked gleeful and was about to speak when Shaw stopped her, “But, I have a condition.”

Root seemed a bit disappointed but asked, “Okay, what’s your condition?”

“We play this by my rules. I call, you come. I say jump, you say ‘how high’. I’m taking control of whatever this is. That’s my final offer; take it or leave it.”

The taller girl seemed to be contemplating the offer before she looked Shaw in the eyes, a wicked glint taking over, “I think we are going to get along just fine, Sameen.”


	9. Closer and Closer...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone bring me some water please because this chapter is hottttttt

Root had given her a number that, in her own words, was a singular line; the taller girl told her that the number would be used just between the two of them and that no one else had access to it. For some reason, knowing she had something so personal to connect her to Root made a small feeling of happiness wash over her. Their interaction at the old house was strange but now she had a direct link to the girl who was slowly taking over her life. It showed Shaw that the other girl was serious about her condition to their arrangement; it also showed her that the taller girl would do anything to be with her. The level of passion and devotion Root was displaying was one Shaw was not familiar with; no one besides her parents, Joss, and Zoe made an effort to try to get behind the walls she built up. The whole situation made her both hopeful and terrified. 

Friday night was usually reserved for her parents’ date night so, leaving her money for pizza, Ava and Miguel left Shaw alone at home so that they could attend their friends’ engagement party. The tiny brunette would normally invite the girls over to hang out but Zoe was off on a date with Reese and Joss was out of town with her family. So she settled in her room, Bear laying at her feet, watching some vampire show on her laptop. 

Shaw signed, leaning down to scratch Bear behind the ears, “What are we going to do tonight, buddy?” The dog perked his ears up at the sound of her voice, “Maybe we’ll go for a night run. Would you like that, boy?”

Bear let out a bark and jumped off the bed, circling in place to show his excitement about going outside. The brunette smiled and got off the bed; she made her way into her closet to find her running clothes. After changing into cotton shorts and a ribbed tank top, Shaw led Bear down the stairs to fetch his collar. She connected the leash to his black leather collar, which she brought for him herself, and led Bear to the front of the house.

“Okay, boy, let’s do a quick loop of the neighborhood and then see how we feel, okay?” Bear barked in agreement and then they were off. They started off with a slow jog, with Bear trotting in front of her. Shaw was bobbing her head along with the pop song playing through her headphones, enjoying the cool air on her skin as she ran. When they turned the corner, Shaw bumped up their speed and Bear kept up with her. She could feel her heartrate increase and her breathing became labored but she kept running, relishing the burning feeling in her leg muscles. The pair had been a few yards away from the house when Shaw slowed down, tugging on Bear’s leash in order to signal him to slow down as well.

As they walked back to the house, Shaw wiped the sweat from her forehead and sighed. Her run was great but it didn’t put a dent in the time she had by herself. Her only real options were to watch crappy TV until her parents came back or go to bed early like an old person. She shook her head; there was no way she was going to waste an empty house and a free night by just sleeping. Pulling out her phone and stopping the music, she dialed the newest phone number in her contacts.

“Hey, are you free?”  
#####################################################

Twenty minutes and a hot shower later, Shaw was curled up on the couch cuddling with Bear when she heard a car pull into her driveway. She didn’t have to lift her head to look out the window; she already knew who it was. The car door slammed and she heard the faint sounds of heels clicking their way to the front door. Then, the doorbell rang.

Bear jumped onto his feet, barking crazily. Shaw held up her hand in front of his face and snapped her fingers once. Instantly, he went silent and laid back on the couch. The tiny brunette got up and made her way to the door. She pulled it open, raising her eyebrow as she took in the sight before her.

Root was wearing shorts so small they should be considered underwear, a black camisole that highlighted her cleavage, and her hair fell down her back in soft waves. She had a shopping bag in one hand that had the most delicious smell coming from it and a big cell phone in the other hand. Her hazel eyes were back behind her glasses and Shaw could feel her stomach tighten at the sight of them.

“Hey, sweetie,” Root drawled, her southern accent coming out a lot more in that husky tone, “are you going to invite me in?”

Shaw stared at the taller girl without replying for a few moments. Then, without warning, she grabbed Root by the arm and pulled her inside, slamming the door shut behind her. She grabbed the taller girl’s face in both hands and kissed her soundly. Root let out a gasp of surprise but dropped the stuff she had been holding in order to place her hands on Shaw’s waist. There was a sliver of skin that was visible between her pajama pants and T-shirt so the taller brunette wasted no time and started stroking the skin she could touch. Shaw moaned into her mouth; that prompted Root to slip her tongue into the shorter girl’s mouth and deepen the kiss.

Shaw felt like her head was swimming in thick cement. She led Root into the living room without breaking their kiss. Bear seemed to wise up to what was happening and vacated the couch, trotting into the kitchen without looking back. Shaw slammed Root down onto the couch and started trailing her lips across her jawline and onto her neck. Root let out a light moan, holding Shaw to her neck tightly. The shorter girl took that as an invitation and sunk her teeth into her neck, holding it there long enough for her to know there would be a mark in that place the next day. The bite did not deter Root, it only seemed to spur her on. She let out another moan, louder this time, and pulled Shaw’s hair. Hard.

“Fuck,” Shaw gasped out as she let go of her hold on the other girl’s neck. Moving lower, she pulled down the straps of Root’s camisole until she got it past her chest. To her delight, the taller girl went braless and now her amazing breasts were completely exposed to the cool air. Smirking at her already hard nipples, Shaw leaned down and wrapped her lips around her left breast with squeezing and pulling on the right one.

Root was getting off on the rough treatment of her chest; she pulled Shaw’s hair harder before moving her hands down to go up Shaw’s sleeping shirt. She smiled wildly at the feeling of Shaw also going braless and instantly pinched her nipples hard. The shorter girl let out a gasp against the nipple she was sucking and retaliated by biting the right one. 

“Oh, Sameen,” Root moaned out, stroking where she pinched, “If you keep doing that, I’ll never make it to the good stuff.”

Shaw smirked up at the other girl as she made her way down her stomach, lightly nipping here and there, “And here I thought you could be someone who could keep up with me. What a shame.”

That challenged seemed to insult Root’s ego which only made the other girl want to prove herself more. In a move that completely shocked Shaw, Root flipped their positions so she was straddling the shorter girl’s hips. Reaching into the pocket of her short shorts, Root pulled out a small packing knife and sent Shaw a dirty grin. 

“Honey, I don’t think I can keep up with you. I know I can.”

Shaw’s eyes widened when she saw the knife but, instead of feeling terror and throwing the other girl off of her, she felt the arousal take over her mind and she couldn’t help but lick her lips as she imagined all the things Root was going to do with it. The taller brunette leaned down so Shaw could feel her breath against her lips but, instead of kissing her, Root placed the knife at the collar of Shaw’s shirt and started slicing it down the middle. Shaw felt the tip of blade as it lightly made contact with the skin of her chest and stomach. She wasn’t afraid though; the feel of the knife and uncertainty of if she would be cut only made Shaw hotter.

After the shirt was cut down the middle, the taller girl moved the two halves to the side and began her assault on Shaw’s chest. The smaller brunette had always prided herself on not being too noisy in bed but, with everything Root had done and the promise of what she could do, she couldn’t help the loud noises that were escaping her throat. She groaned as Root bit particularly hard on her hip bone as she settled at the waistband of her pants. She opened her tightly closed eyes to see hazel eyes gleaming up at her, silently asking for permission. Shaw nodded her head and leaned back, preparing to feel the girl’s tongue on her most intimate place.

However, what she heard instead stopped everything and made the blood rush into her ears.

“Sameen, sweetheart, we’re home!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Parents, man. The world's ultimate cockblock.


	10. Gotcha!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet chapter. Still having a blast writing this!

“Shit, shit, shit,” Shaw swore, pushing Root off her. The loud thump she made when she hit the floor didn’t even reach the short girl’s ears. She scrambled to pull her now ripped shirt back together while scramming off the couch toward the staircase. Thankfully, her parents seemed to be distracted by something in the foyer, giving her plenty of time to go up the stairs. At the last minute, the shorter girl looked back and frantically motioned for the other girl to follow her upstairs. Root seemed to be confused at first until she heard Shaw’s parent’s voices growing louder as they came further and further into the house. Then, her face paled to an unhealthy degree and she pulled up her camisole while sprinting to catch up with Shaw. Together, they ran up the stairs just as Ava and Miguel made their way into the kitchen.

Shaw quietly closed her bedroom door while letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding. She looked at Root to find the taller girl leaning against her closet door, trying to catch her breath. Immediately their earlier hot and heavy mood was killed and now it was replaced by a deep annoyance. There was nothing she wanted more than to get rid of Root so she could pretend this whole situation never happened. 

She tossed her now ruined shirt in her small garbage pail and moved to her dresser to get a new one. She could feel the taller girl’s eyes checking her out as she pulled on her old lacrosse jersey from middle school. It was a little tight in her chest but it still fit her well. Shaw took a deep breath and turned to face Root, looking her in the eye.

“I think you should go now,” she said, her face blank of emotion. Root looked at her for a moment before turning her gaze to her feet. Shaw felt her stomach tighten once again but, this time, it was an unpleasant feeling rather than a pleasurable one.

“Yeah…….yeah, sure okay. I’ll just find my own way out,” Root nodded at her once before turning back to the door. The shorter felt the need to stop her but wanted her to leave at the same time.

“You know what this is, Root. Nothing has changed.”

The taller brunette turned her head to look at Shaw, eyes void of the usual sparkle Shaw had come to expect from the, “Yeah. I guess nothing has.” She said turned back, opened the door, and disappeared. Shaw sank down onto her bed, at a loss of what to do.

She said she had control of the situation but some part of her knew that wasn’t true. Root had gotten under her skin so quickly it made her head spin. All she wanted to do was completely cut herself off from the taller girl but she also knew that wasn’t going to happen. Root had become somewhat of a drug to her; every little taste she got she just wanted more and more. Seeing Root walk out of the door should have filled her with some kind of relief; instead, she had a sense of guilt. 

Shaking her head of thoughts of Root, the small brunette decided to head downstairs to wipe out any trace that Root had been there. She walked out into the hallway to see it completely empty; when she reached the bottom of the staircase, she saw that Root’s phone and the bag she brought were both gone. Shaw hoped Root got to it before her parents did.

“Sameen, is that you?” Ava called from the kitchen. Shaw made her way into the room to find her parents sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. They were both flushed faced and smiling at her.

Shaw went to pour herself a glass of water, smiling widely when she took in her parents’ state. “Are you two drunk?”

Ava waved her daughter off, swaying slightly where she sat, “No! We’re not teenagers!”

“Yeah,” Miguel agreed, nodding his head, “We’re adults. We get wasted,” he stuck out his tongue at Shaw and Ava couldn’t contain her giggles at the sight. Shaw rolled her eyes as her grin grew even bigger.

“And you two are supposed to be my role models?” She went back to the cabinet and grabbed two more glasses. After filling them up with cold water and grabbing a bottle of aspirin, she placed all of the items in front of her parents and looked at them expectantly.

“Take two pills before you sleep and drink the whole glass. All of it, is that understood?”  
Ava smiled brightly, “Yes, mom.”

Shaw shook her head, “What am I going to do with the two of you?” She leaned over and kissed both of their foreheads, “I’m heading to bed, okay. I’m also staying at Zo’s tomorrow night but I am sure you two won’t remember that so I’ll write a reminder on the fridge.” Her parents nodded at her like they were bobble heads so Shaw took that as her cue to go back to her room. She was just out of the kitchen when she heard Miguel say,

“Don’t think we aren’t going to talk about the half-naked girl running across our lawn, Sameen. That conversation will be bright and early.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhangers are my oxygen.


	11. A Little Dose Of Truth Makes Reality Go Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Zoe and Shaw as BFFS.

Thanks to her parents’ raging hangover the next morning, Shaw was able to slip out of the house undetected. She spent the night tossing and turning, obsessing over the conversation her parents were going to have with her about Root running across their lawn. Shaw was extremely angry because she figured the taller girl had moved slowly on purpose; with all her grace and flair for mystery, Shaw knew that Root could have gone unnoticed by her parents when they came home. The shorter girl assumed Root’s actions were done so that their “thing” could be brought to light. She didn’t want it in the light; hell, she didn’t even know what they were doing.

Shaw walked the fifteen minutes it took to get to Zoe’s house in a stony silence, the image of Root’s crushed face replaying in her mind like a bad movie. She didn’t mean to hurt Root at all but she also wasn’t someone who got attached to other people romantically. She liked the freedom of living her life exactly the way she wanted to and relationships hindered her from doing so. But, at the same time, Shaw couldn’t help but want to be around Root. Somehow, the other girl made her want to do things that were way out of her comfort zone. Shaw shook her head and scowled. She hated that she couldn’t articulate how she was feeling.

Reaching Zoe’s house, the smaller girl made her way to the backyard and opened the sliding doors she knew were always unlocked. The house was quiet but that wasn’t unusual; Zoe’s parents were always out of town for business and Zoe herself never woke up before noon on the weekend if she didn’t have to. Shaw left her overnight bag in the living room before making her way to the kitchen to raid the stocked fridge. After making herself a huge bowl of cereal, Shaw made her way up the stairs to Zoe’s room. 

As she predicted Zoe was curled up on her bed sleeping soundly. Clothes were strewn all over the floor, her desk was filled with books, and she could see her lacrosse gear spilling out of her huge closet. The shorter girl sat at the end of the bed, balancing the bowl on her knee, before pinching the foot sticking out of the blanket. 

“Owww,” she heard Zoe moan from beneath her heap of blankets. The other girl threw off the blankets to glare at her best friend, “What did you do that for?”

Shaw smirked, “To wake your ass up, of course. I get bored really easily.”

The tall brunette reached over to her nightstand and glanced at the time on her cell phone. She moaned again, “Jesus, Shaw, it’s only 10am. Why are you here?”

“First of all, 10am is not an unreasonable time to go to someone’s house,” she held up her hand so Zoe didn’t interrupt her, “And I needed to get out of the house.”

Zoe sat up against her headboard, gesturing Shaw to join her, “And why is that? If I had your parents, I would never want to leave the house. It’s like living with adult care bears.” Shaw rolled her eyes.

“Shut up. I had to get out of there because I didn’t want to talk about last night.”

That caught Zoe’s attention, “Last night, huh? And what, pray tell, happened last night?” She stole Shaw’s bowl of cereal and started eating some of it. Normally, Shaw would have snatched back the bowl so fast it would make her head spin but, instead, she simply dropped her head down and started wrangling her hands together. Zoe stopped eating, realizing the severity of the situation, “Shaw?”

“Ugh.” Shaw groaned, rubbing her hands over her face, “You know I’m not good at this talking stuff, Zo,” Zoe tilted her head, eyes pleading for Shaw to tell her what was bothering her, “It’s about Root.” 

A dirty smile spread across her lips, “Why, Shaw, did you two finally do the nasty?”

The shorter girl shoved her friend lightly before taking her bowl of cereal back, “Can you get out of the gutter for one second? I’m trying to be serious here.”

Zoe laughed, “Fine, fine. I’m sorry. Please continue.”

“No, we did not ‘do the nasty.’ But, we came pretty close to it. Then my parents came home and I asked her leave so she did.”

The taller girl nodded, looking confused, “And you’re worked up because your parents found out she was there?”

“Yes. No. Well, yes and no. Dad saw Root running across the lawn half naked so I know there is a lecture coming my way. But, also, I kinda….feel bad about asking Root to….to….”

“Leave?” Zoe finished. Shaw said nothing, instead she took two huge bites of cereal to keep from responding. The girls sat in silence for a few moments before Zoe broke it, “You’re upset that you asked Root to leave and she did?”

Shaw sighed, “No, she had to go. Mom and dad would have blown up if they caught her in the house. I’m…. upset or whatever because Root looked so hurt when she left. But she knows that we’re not a thing so I don’t understand why she would be upset.”

Zoe shook her head before turning to face her friend, “Oh, Shaw. You’re one of the smartest people I know but you are still an idiot. Let me finish,” the shorter girl looked ready to punch her but Zoe wasn’t afraid, “Look, Root was upset because she likes you. Hell, you guys almost had sex and then you asked her to leave like it was no big deal. You may not have spent a lot of time together but it’s obvious you two have some weird, people hating connection. I think that Root might want to, hold onto your hat here, date you.”

Shaw looked at Zoe, a horrified look on her face, “I don’t date, Zoe! You know that and Root should know that too. I don’t want her getting the wrong idea.”

The taller brunette rolled her eyes before getting out of bed, “Fine, Shaw. Believe what you want. Don’t talk to Root and lose one of the only people who has shown a genuine interest in you in years. I can’t stop you,” Zoe gave Shaw a pointed look before going into her en suite bathroom.

The shorter girl placed the bowl on the nightstand, her appetite escaping her for the first time in her life. She didn’t want to change her life; that was a notion that made her skin crawl. However, the image of Root’s crushed face felt like a knife was twisting in her stomach. Shaw groaned, flopping back onto Zoe’s bed, staring hard at the ceiling.

What was she going to do?


	12. No Apologies, More Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments please! Let me know what you think of the story so far! :3

Shaw didn’t see Root for days after their interaction at her house. When she got home from Zoe’s house, her parents let her know that her ‘friend’ needed to use the front door next time and that she was to be invited to dinner soon so that they could get to know her better. Before Shaw could protest, Miguel informed her that it was either Root came over for dinner or she was grounded for two weeks. Both options sounded terrible but Shaw begrudgingly accepted the dinner invitation. She left to go up to her room to get ready for school but not before she saw a huge grin plastered on Ava’s face.

Shaw poured herself into lacrosse and school work; she ran so hard on the field she would collapse when she got back home and she stayed up well into the night doing homework that wasn’t due for another two weeks. She tried to do everything in her power to forget about the tall beauty but nothing seemed to be working. And, while a tiny part of her was sad that Root didn’t try to contact her, the shorter girl knew the reality was she controlled what happened between them. If they never spoke again, it would be her own fault.

Joss and Zoe could tell something was up with Shaw but neither girl wanted to push too hard on the subject. Joss had been filled in on what happened with Root when she returned home and it took all her restraint not to slap Shaw upside the head for being so dumb. Zoe, on the other hand, had no problem bringing up Root any chance she could, just to see Shaw’s reaction. The shorter girl’s face would darken and she would glare at her friend until Zoe backed down. Finally, after another grueling practice, the tall brunette decided she had had enough of Shaw’s moping.

“Jesus Christ, can you take the stick out of your ass and call your woman already?” Zoe asked, sitting on the grassy field taking off her pads.

Joss nodded from where she was sitting on the bench next to Shaw. “Seriously. You know I love you, girl, but you are killing me with their pity party. Just talk to her.”

Shaw picked at the netting on her lacrosse stick so that she didn’t have to look at her friends. “It’s not that easy, okay. She probably doesn’t want to talk to me.”

The tall brunette massaged her skins while she rolled her eyes hard, “Shaw, give me a break. That girl would come running if you actually made an effort to talk to her. You just have to stop being a dumb ass and make the effort.” Shaw said nothing, instead choosing to arrange her gear in her duffel bag so it all fit. “Fine, whatever. Avoid her forever. I guess it will make next weekend super weird.”

Shaw’s head snapped up in confusion. “What’s happening next weekend?”

A big, bashful grin spread across Zoe’s lips. “John is throwing a party for us after the big game. Win or lose we’re getting boozed!”

“Oh, hell yeah!” Joss cried, having fiving her friend, “That is so awesome.”

Shaw scowled, “Thanks but I’ll be skipping that gathering.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Zoe held out her hand in a stopping motion, “We’ve worked our asses off all season to get this far and, no matter what happens, we deserve to have a good time. Together. You have no choice there, buddy.”

“Don’t call me buddy,” the shorter girl snapped.

Zoe rolled her eyes and stood up, grabbing her bag, “You’re going to be there and I don’t care what you say. Sort your shit out with Root and go back to the Shaw that likes to have fun,” with that, Zoe made her way off the field towards her house. 

Shaw sat on the bench in disbelief; sure, Zoe has gotten mad at her in the past but, this time, she sounded more disappointed than angry. And that difference made Shaw feel a thousand times worse. She looked beside her to see Joss staring at her with one eyebrow raised.

“What?” She asked.

The dark skinned girl shrugged, taking a pull from her water bottle, “You’re being kind of an asshole, Shaw. To Root and to Zo.”

The shorter girl sighed, “I know.”

“You don’t mean to be but you can be super mean to the people who are just trying to be close to you. Maybe you should work on that.”  
Shaw glared at her friend but knew she was right; she had to fix things with both girls. Zoe would be a lot easier seeing as she knows all about her asshole tendencies so she decided to start with the person who deserved an apology the most.

###############################################

After saying goodbye to Joss, Shaw had sat on the school’s front steps and texted Root. While she did consider calling her, she had to figure out what exactly she wanted to says so she didn’t make the situation worse. Through text, however, she could keep it short and simple. At first, Root had been hesitant to speak to her. She had thought Shaw was only reaching out so that they could hook up. While Shaw could not deny that situation had crossed her mind, she knew that the two of them needed to have a real talk before this went any further. So, Shaw convinced Root to let her come to her place so they could do just that.

Shaw spent the entire bus ride to Root’s place trying to figure out how to say her feelings out loud without hurting Root again or making things weird between them. When that didn’t work out, she angrily stared out the window at all the passing shops and building through the town. After a few minutes, Shaw pulled the cord to stop the bus and got off at the stop Root instructed her to go to. Looking around the area, Shaw could see tall, glamorous buildings lined every block. The sidewalk looked clean enough to eat off on and the grass was so perfectly shaped Shaw would have sworn it was fake.

She followed Root’s directions until she found herself outside a nicer building that Reese’s and Harold’s. The lobby of the building held more gold and expensive art that Shaw started to sweat a little, afraid she would accidentally break something. The doorman led her to the elevators without her asking and turned a key before pressing the top button. Shaw couldn’t be more confused if she tried.

When she arrived on the floor, she was let out into a huge penthouse apartment with floor to ceiling windows that gave a gorgeous view of the city’s skyline. The apartment was furnished with comfy looking furniture and a baby grand piano stood close to one of the huge windows. There was nothing in the front hallway except for a gray hoodie and a beat up pair of green Converse sneakers; not exactly what Shaw would expect to be in such a fancy apartment. 

‘Her parents must be loaded,’ Shaw thought, making her way into the apartment, ‘Maybe this is why she didn’t go to college. She doesn’t have to work’.

Shaw found Root in the last place she expected: the kitchen. The taller girl looked very causal in black leggings and a tight while T-shirt, her hair pulled into a loose ponytail. She was standing by the stove stirring vegetables into a pot of something Shaw couldn’t see. From the entrance of the kitchen, Shaw could see the bags under Root’s eyes, an indication that she hadn’t been sleeping either. Her stomach tightened. 

Shaw cleared her throat, “Hey.”

Root glanced over at her, her eyes dull, “Hello, Shaw.” The shorter girl tried not to flinch; in the short time they’ve known each other, Root had never called her by her last name. it felt wrong to hear it from her.

Shaw shuffled awkwardly, “What’s in the pot?”

“Some soup,” Root answered, stiffly, “I might be catching a cold so I’m trying to counter attack it before it gets worse.”

“Smart,” Shaw replied, cringing at how stupid that sounded. Root said nothing, stirring the pot and keeping her eyes focused on the bubbles.

Shaw took a seat at the island counter, “Nice digs. Is this your parents’ place?”

The taller girl lowered the heat on the stove, “Something like that,” she turned to face Shaw and finally made eye contact with her, “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“Really?” Root smiled, but it was fake. Shaw could tell, “It seemed like you already said plenty last time we saw each other.”

Shaw flinched again; the other girl’s words made her angry but she also knew why Root was so upset so she let it go, “Look, I’m not sorry about kicking you out,” Root’s eyes narrowed and she was about to speak before Shaw continued, “I am sorry about how I did it. It wasn’t cool, I guess,” the taller girl didn’t respond; instead, she stared at Shaw like she was trying to figure her out, “I’m not into relationships, okay. They’re messy and complicated and I don’t want to answer to someone about how I live my life I thought you should know that before anything happens.”

Root continued to stare at Shaw before she started nodding, “Shaw, I don’t want to be your girlfriend. I’m not asking you to change you are; otherwise, I wouldn’t like you as much as I do now.”

“Then, what?” Shaw asked, confused, “What do you want?”

“I just want to be around you. I want to be able to kiss you and touch you however and whenever I want. And maybe sometimes I can take you out and watch you eat,” Shaw rolled her eyes at the obvious innuendo, “If we can do that, we’ll have no problem. I promise I’m not some clingy girl.”

Shaw sized Root up, taking extra time to admire her legs in the skin tight leggings covering them, “That’s all you want? Nothing more?”

“No, sweetie,” Root made her way around the island to stand in between Shaw’s legs, “All I want is you. Nothing more, nothing less.” The shorter girl felt her breath catch as Root’s hands started stroking her thighs. She looked into the taller girl’s eyes and saw them darken. It made her body flush with hot arousal.

“Okay,” she croaked, trying to keep her composure, “So, we’re okay?”

Root pretended to think for a minute,” Hmm, we’ll be okay once I get my apology kiss,” her hands moved up Shaw’s thighs to cup her breasts. 

The shorter girl gasped and leaned forward without a word. Root met her halfway and they kissed passionately; Root’s hands anchored Shaw to her by holding the back of her neck with Shaw’s hands found their way to Root’s hips and squeezed. 

Shaw could feel herself losing herself completely; she wanted to surrender everything she had if it meant she could kiss Root forever. The taller girl invaded her mouth with her tongue and Shaw swore she saw stars behind her eyelids. They kissed for what felt like forever before Root broke it off. The shorter girl licked her lips and was about to ask Root to join her in the bedroom when she stepped away from Shaw all together.

“Where are you going?” Shaw whined, hating it but not stopping it at the same time.

Root chuckled and moved back to the stove, “Oh no, sweetie. It’s not going to be that easy. If you want me, prove it.”

“Prove it? How?”

An evil smile spread across Root’s face and Shaw could feel like she was going to (slightly) regret going forward with the other girl, 

“Take me on a date.”


	13. Girl Time Is The Best Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments please! Let me know what you think of the story so far! :3

"Why are all of these dresses so short?" Shaw complained, throwing yet another outfit out of the closet and onto the floor. She sighed heavily, leaning against the doorframe wearing only her sports bra and boy shorts.

After making up with Root, Shaw had left her apartment and immediately called Zoe. At first, the other girl wasn't thrilled about how Shaw behaved towards her but all was forgiven when the shorter girl told her she needed her help to plan out the perfect date for Root. That is how she found herself at Zoe's house with her and Joss, trying on outfit after outfit until her two friends gave their final seal of approval. 

Joss blew gently onto Zoe's nails which she painted cotton candy pink, "They're short because Zoe is a hoe. Come on, Shaw, you know that," she winked playfully at her friend. Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Shut up. Just because you two wear boys clothes all the time doesn't mean that we all do."

Shaw ran her hands over her face before lightly rubbing her temples. "I don't understand why I have to wear a dress anyway. It's a date, it's not like we're getting married."

"Wait, are you saying you could see the two of you getting married?" Zoe's eyes lit up so bright that they could probably power an entire city for a year.

"Whoa, slow down there, buddy," Shaw held her hand out, "Nothing is that serious. Let's just get through this date first, okay?"

Zoe pouted while Joss started chuckling, "Okay, children, let's get back on task. Next outfit, Shaw. Chop chop." Shaw stuck her tongue out at her friends before retreating back into the closet. After a few minutes of rustling and mumbled cursing, Shaw emerged from the closet wearing a deep red strapless dress that ended mid thigh. Though she was short, the dress made her legs go on forever. 

Joss let out a whistle, "Damn, girl! There's no way Root is going to keep her hands off of you!"  
Shaw made her way to Zoe's full length mirror and stared at herself, "God, I look like Zoe."

"Why are you saying that like it's a bad thing?" The taller girl glared at Shaw, "You should be so lucky."

Shaw smirked and sauntered over to the bed, "Awe, Zozo, I didn't mean it. Please forgive me," she pouted frantically before draping herself over Zoe in an over enthusiastic hug. Zoe tried to squirm away from her friend but Shaw's super strength kept her in place.

"Ugh, fine, fine! You're forgiven! Get off of me!" Shaw didn't let her go; instead, shaw started tickling her mercilessly. Joss, aware of the impending fight, scooted off the bed onto the floor.

"I swear, I'm friends with children."

##########################

Shaw left Joss and Zoe a while later, carrying a bag full of the approved dress, shoes, and some makeup Zoe practically forced into her hands. She spent the walk home going over all the details the three of them planned out for her date with Root. Shaw couldn't contain the butterflies in her stomach anytime she thought about taking the taller girl out. She had never been on a date before; she wasn't sure what to do expect or how to act. Even though she didn't want to get into a serious relationship right now, she didn't want to blow her only chance at impressing Root. It was a fine line she walking with no safety net beneath her. 

When she got home, the house seemingly empty until she heard the faint sound of the television in the back living room. Leaving her bag at the door, Shaw made her way towards the sound and the soft light. She found Ava and Bear curled up on the couch watching reruns of a cooking show.

Ava smiled when she saw her daughter, "Hello, sweetheart. How was Zoe's?"

Shaw flopped down besides her and scratched behind Bear's ears. "It was fine. You know, the usual girl stuff."

"Oh, so you've realized you're a girl, huh?" The older woman teased. Shaw rolled her eyes.

"Nice burn, ma. They're getting better," Ava winked at her and they sat in silence while watching some guy prepare a complicated chicken dish. After a few moments, Ava asked, "How's it going with the girlfriend?"

"Ma!" Shaw cried, causing Bear to lift his head up in protest when the scratching ceased, "I don't have a girlfriend."

"Oh, come on, Sameen. Are you telling me you haven't gone out with the same girl who ran out of here half naked?" Shaw could feel her whole face flush.

"Ma!" Shaw yelled again and Bear, realizing the noise was going to continue, moved to lay on the floor.

Ava chuckled at her daughter's stunned face, "Sorry, honey. I couldn't let that one go by. Anyways, why haven't you made Root your girlfriend yet? You obviously like her."

Shaw ran her hands over her face, "It's not that simple, ma. We have to......figure stuff out first."

"What stuff? You like her, she likes you. What else am I missing?"

The shorter girl carefully considered what her mother was saying. Was it that simple? Could her and Root have something without all the complicated drama that comes with relationships? Did she really want all that pressure? Her head was starting to hurt from all the unanswered questions. 

"I'm taking her on a date," Shaw blurted out.

Ava's eyes lit up, "A date? Oh, Sameen, that is adorable! What do you have planned? What are you going to wear? Oh, your first date! This is so exciting!"

Shaw laughed a little at her mother's excitement, feeing a bit of the pressure being lifted off her shoulder, "Jeez, ma, when did you turn into Zoe and Joss? And what makes you think this is my first date?"

"Honey, believe it or not, but your father and I do pay attention to your life sometimes. And I have every right to be excited about this! Your first date only happens once. She must be pretty special to be yours."

Shaw fell quiet as the weight of Ava's words hit her, "Yeah," she said, quietly, "She is."

Ava leaned over and pressed a kiss to Shaw's forehead, "Listen, sweetheart. I know you don't think you were built for something like this but, trust me, you were. You just needed the right person to bring it out of you. Don't deny yourself happiness because it's unknown, Sameen. That way of living will only cause you more pain." 

Shaw smiled gently at her mother's words, "Why are you so wise, old lady?"

Ava playfully pushed her, "It comes with being a parent to a brat like you." Shaw moved closer and leaned her head against Ava's shoulder, her words swirling around her head like a carnival ride. 

Maybe things can be different with Root.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: the date!


	14. Date Night Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting grad school is no joke! But, I'm back and I hope you all enjoy the chapter! Comments are always appreciated!

Sameen Shaw was never known to be someone who got nervous easily but, as she stood outside of Root’s door, she couldn’t contain her beating heart. It took her two hours to get ready; her mother kept popping in to give her advice and tease her about how girly she was acting. Shaw was grateful Zoe and Joss had other plans that night otherwise she would’ve been bothered from all sides. She slid into the dress she got from Zoe, let her hair loose of its usual ponytail, and even put on some light makeup to highlight her light brown eyes. All in all, she felt completely unlike herself but she figured Root would appreciate her effort.

After taking a few deep breaths, Shaw raised her hand and knocked on the door. After a few moments of rustling behind the door, it opened to reveal the most mouthwatering sight Shaw had ever seen. Root was wearing a knee length black skirt with a slit up on leg that showed off her long, toned legs and a dark blue silk crop top that was tied around her graceful neck. Her hair was swept up in a messy bun with wavy strands framing her face. The shorter girl realized that they were eye to eye which made her look down to see that Root choose to wear flats. That made her smile softly.

“Well, hello there, beautiful,” Root purred, eyes shining as she raked over Shaw’s form, “You look positively edible.”

Shaw couldn’t help but roll her eyes, “Really, Root? Right off the back?”

The taller girl shrugged, “You can’t really blame me when you look like that.”

“You are absolutely ridiculous,” Shaw stepped back from the doorway, “Ready to go?”

Root grabbed her purse from the table near the door and closed it behind her, “Lead the way, sweetie.”

They made their way out of Root’s building down to the parking lot. Shaw’s father lent her his black Range Rover for the occasion and the shorter girl didn’t miss the bright look in Root’s eyes as she took in the car. Shaw took the liberty to open the passenger side door for Root and she couldn’t resist moving very close to her as she got into the car.

“Why, Shaw, I never knew you could be such a gentlewoman,” Root batted her eyes at her.

Shaw snorted, “You’re such a dork, I swear.” She got into the driver’s side and pulled off into traffic.

“So, where are you taking me this evening?”

“Wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

Root smiled widely, “Are you full of surprises, Sameen?”

Shaw could practically feel the heat coming from Root’s words, “You’ll just have to find out.” The shorter girl jumped slightly when she felt a smooth hand move onto her thigh, “Root, you have to behave yourself.”

“I’ll try my best, sweetie.”

Shaw laughed and shook her head; if this is how the night started, she couldn’t wait to see Root’s face when they got to their destination. 

RSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRS

The girls pulled outside of a warehouse near the edge of town; it was covered in artistic graffiti and fairy lights. Shaw got out of the car and opened Root’s door for her. Shaw kept a hold on her hand as she led her into the entrance of the building. The inside was dimly lit but otherwise barren. Root looked around confused.

“Sweetie,” she said, softly, “Where are we?”

Shaw looked over her shoulder and grinned, “You’ll see.” She led the taller girl towards an elevator towards the back of the building. She closed the gate and pressed the button for the top floor. As they rode up the elevator, Shaw could see Root’s hesitant expression; it was one that was foreign to her. She wanted desperately to explain what was going on but knew the surprise would be worth the wait. They reached the top floor where Root saw nothing but a single door with a light bulb hanging over it. Shaw took her hand again.

“Do you trust me?” The taller girl took a deep breath and nodded. Shaw led her to the door and, with a flourish, opened it.

On the roof of the building was a single round dinner table with a white tablecloth covering it. Surrounding the table were rows of tea candles floating in small glass bowls; around the candles were white daisy petals. The table held a bucket of champagne, glasses, and two silver tray covers. Root could hear soft classical music coming out of hidden speakers and she could see all of the stars that covered the dark night sky. She gasped.

“Oh, Sameen,” she whispered softly, “This is amazing.”

Shaw couldn’t help the blush that crept up her cheeks, “I heard from a reliable source that you always wanted a dinner under the stars. I know it no picnic but….” Shaw was cut off when Root leaned in and kissed her softly.

“This is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me,” she brushed some of the shorter girl’s hair behind her ear. 

“Okay, enough mushy stuff. Let’s eat,” Shaw led them over to the table. She lifted the two covers to reveal two different dishes: vegetable lasagna for Root and steak and potatoes for herself. The taller girl let out a chuckle.

“Someone has been paying attention,” she teased.

Shaw rolled her eyes, “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t starve.”

“Why, Sameen, are you trying to get me drunk?”

“Like I need to do that to get into your pants,” Shaw joked. Root seemed to be taken off guard by the flirtatious comment but quickly got her bearings back. 

Root began to trace the rim of her glass, “So, tell me about yourself.”

“Oh, God. Is that the best you can do?”

The taller girl leaned in close and smiled mischievously, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Shaw ignored her, “There’s nothing much to tell. I like sports, I have like two friends, and my dog is the best person I know.”

Root giggled, “I didn’t peg you as a dog person.”

“Well, Bear is the best dog on the planet; he’s fast and tough and loves cheeseburgers.”

“Is it wise to feed your dog human food?”

Shaw shrugged, “I like spoiling him,” the taller girl nodded, “Tell me about you.” 

Root took a bite of her food before answering, “Hmm, let’s see. I graduated school early; I was always more advanced than my peers. Now I just do contract work.”

“What kind of contract work?”

“Let’s just say I find things that people need found.”

Shaw’s brows furrowed, “What kind of things?” Root cocked her head to the side in amusement.

“That’s second date talk, Sameen. We’ll see if you get there.”

“Are you always so vague?” Shaw snapped.

“Are you always so beautiful?” Root shot back, smirking. The shorter girl rolled her eyes and stabbed at her steak. 

“Awe, sweetie, don’t pout.”

Shaw glared at the girl sitting across from her, “I’m not pouting, Root. I’m just sick of not getting straight answers out of you.”

“Hmm, if I didn’t know any better I would say you liked me.”

“I don’t exactly set up elaborate dates for anyone, Root.”

The taller girl nodded, “That’s true. I’m sorry. Look, how about you ask me one question and I’ll answer it, no holding back.”

Shaw considered her for a few moments before asking, “What do you do for work?”

Root sighed deeply before answering, “I’m a hacker for hire.”

Shaw almost choked on her drink, “A what?! Like, one of those people in movies who sit in a white van and type into a computer?”

Now it was Root’s turn to roll her eyes, “I’m not some movie tech geek, Sameen. My profession is quite real.”

“So what do you do exactly?”

“Well, I am hired by people who need things back; things that were stolen from them. And they pay me a hefty fee in order to retrieve what they need.”

“Wait, is what you do legal?” Shaw asked.

“Not technically but I find that the law has a lot of grey areas to it.” Shaw leaned back in her chair, taking in what she just learned. Finding out the girl you have a huge crush on may or may not be big time criminal hacker is a lot to process. Root noticed the silence and covered Shaw’s hand with her own.

“Listen, I know this is a lot to take in. This is why I didn’t want to tell you about my work; I didn’t want to ruin anything that is blooming between us. But, if you’re uncomfortable, please let me know and we can end this now.”

Shaw stared at Root and took a few moments to answer. Root was about to pull her hand away when the shorter girl grabbed it gently, “I’ll admit, this isn’t exactly what I thought would happen tonight, but, I also can admit that you are crazy and mysterious and I like that.”

Root looked at her through her lashes, “Really?”

Shaw gave her a soft smile, “Really.”

“Well, let’s toast then,” Root refilled their glasses and smiled at her, “To the beginning of becoming hot partners in crime.”

Shaw licked her lips and raised her glass, “Here, here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awe Root and Shaw are becoming the badass couple we all know them to be. Up next: drama, lacrosse games, and lady kisses!


End file.
